Baseball Proposal Clears Hurdle
9/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Sept. 25, 2004
INDIANAPOLIS -
After much deliberation, the NCAA Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet endorsed a plan designed to restructure the baseball season and enhance competitive equity in the sport.
The cabinet supported the plan recommended by the Division I Baseball Issues Committee that establishes March 1 as the official start of competition for the season. If March 1 falls on Saturday, Sunday, Monday or Tuesday, competition would begin on the Friday closest to March 1.
The plan also would move the College World Series back one week, meaning that in some years, the championship could end in July instead of late June.
In addition, institutions would be provided a 45-day window to conduct practices in September, October and November, which would restrict student-athletes from practicing in December and January.
The plan also would establish February 1 as the first opportunity for teams to begin practicing in the spring. Supporters of the plan believe this would allow student-athletes to devote more time to academics in January and February.
Though the cabinet supports the plan, the concept is not yet in legislative form. If the plan gains momentum in the Division I governance structure, it could become a legislative proposal for the 2005-06 cycle. If approved by the Division I Board of Directors in April 2006, the earliest the plan could become effective would be for the 2006-07 baseball season.
The Championships/Competition Cabinet also supported a proposal from the Big 12 Conference to establish a permanent 12th regular-season game in Division I-A football.
The Division I Management Council and the Division I Board of Directors will consider that and other proposals in the 2004-05 legislative cycle in January. That is followed by a membership comment period in January and February before the Council and Board consider proposals for adoption in April.
